Gravity latch



Patented @et 2, 1923.

CHARLES G. PALMER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

GRAVITY lnAroi-n 1 Application inea september 3o, i922. serial No.; *591,4371

ful Improvements in Gravity Latches, otl

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in door latches and particularly to types used in connection with lire proof doors whereby the same becomes automatically locked when closed. Y

@ne of the objects of this invention is Vto provide a gravity operable device for actuating the latch bolts into locking position and a single releasing lever Jfor disengaging the same.

Another purposeris to produce a device in,l which the operating bar 1s adpistably and ,v securely clamped to the bolt actuating member, thus perniiitting varying length of bars to be usedand facilitating the assemblage.

A further aim is in the provision o'f means for maintaining the locking bolts or latche in an inoperative position at will.

In addition to these several aims and purposes, a further object has been in the.` production of a gravity latch bolt which is unusually simple in construction, efficient in operation, and comparatively inexpensive in construction. Y

lith these ends in view, the invention consists in certain novelties of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing, forming a material part of this disclosure, and in which d1 Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a door and portion of its trame, provided with 'an embodiment of the improved vgravity latch bolt, its housing-keeper and lever.

mounting also being shown in section,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the upper latch bolt and its associated parts, the housing being brokenaway and the'parts 'shown in their released'or unlocked position.

AFigure 3 .isa fragmentary sectional view of the operating bar and lock bolt actuator clamp shank.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the latch bolt interceptor.' 'Y j Figure 5 is a similar view of the interceptor guide plate. Y

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the upper latch, its housing and allied parts.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan .view of the Same,` the actuator shank being shown in section.`

In Figure 1 of the drawing a conventional type of door traine is indicated, comprising' an upper joint'. 10 and sill 11 against which the door 12 is'shown in closed,l position.

A metal keeper 14 is set into 'the lower front corner oi'- the trame element 1Q, theV keeper presenting a substantially level lower surface, including the'entranceend 15 andy havingan arcuately recessed portion 16 ter; minating in an angulary stop element 17, aV down turned fiange 18 extending vertically below its main body 14. Y

Similarly seti-in the frame element ll'is another keeper 19 having' an oppositely disposed curved recess 2O and vangular stopwall 21; each of these keepers are rmly secured infixed position on their respective supports'. Fixed to the inner side of the door 12, near the upper front corner is a generally reetan? gular, hollow casing having closed'tront and side walls, respectively 22 and 23, the latter having outstanding lateral flanges 24 by which the housing is secured to the door.

The upper end Voit the casingis fully open and formed through the bottom wall V25 are communicating openings 26 and 27 the back being also open as shown.

Fixed in the side walls to extend from side tov side are pins 28 and 29 and pivoted on the'pin 28` is a latch bolt 30 Vby its attenuated lever 31 the under edge of which makes contact with the ystep pin 29 when the latch is raised*7 saidpin also acting as a stop when the latch 30 is lowered, atV that time engagingA in the rrecess 32. Y e The outer Vend 33 of the 'latch'is curvedpon a radius from the axis 28 toisuit the correspondingl'yrshaped recess 16 of the keeper and itsk flat tangential edgey is suited' to engage the keeper wall 17 when in operative posit-ion, and to restk level rwith the upper edge of the housing sides 22 when in an inoperative or unlocked position.

A pin 34, set in the lever element 31,'is pivotally engaged in an offset extension '35 formed with the actuator .36,'the same passing freely'through they opening 26'in the f bottom. of the housingand a rib 3,7, on the actuator shank operates'v as: a4 keyiin the opening 27. Y u' The lower part of the actuatorA shank is expanded v*to constitutea clamp element 88 and providedl with outstanding 'lugs 39 TENT QSFFICB throughvwhich pass screws clamping cor-v respond g lugs l'l'vformedy with a capv 42 fitting t'leelern'ent 3'8 to constitute a cylindrical head.

venientheight, and liattened, as at 47, aV

pin 48 passing Vvthrough the llattened portion to extend equally out on bothvsides.

lever iliaving anv extending manually operable handle 49, isjpivo'ted on a pin 5i) fixedin the housing 46, theV inner end of the lever being' formed to present a curved, hook-like fork 5l engaging the extending ends o' the pin 48, in suchY a manner that when the lever 49 is depressed the bar 44 will befraise'd andthrough its connection, the llatch 8() Withdrawn 'from thelreeper 14.

Anothercasi'ng 52 is Ysecured to thev bottom of tlie doorin register,Withy the upper Y casing,l Athe same having a pivot pin onV which is ,pivoted another latchV bolt 54 of thefs'ame general `character as the upper latch except the projecting lever is omitted and the actuator is pivoted onapin 55 fixed'V ldirectly inthe body of the latch at a distance from its axis ensuring a vfull rising movement coincident with a corresponding lowering: movement oit the upper latch.

lfronrthe foregoingit Will' be seen that actuation of the handV leverV 49 Will cause instantdisengagement or both latch bolts andi-t ivilllbeevident that the Weight of the bar l44 is; such as'fto normally-*cause both latches to enter Vtheir lzeepers and'be retained therein. f

Attention isralsol called tothe tact thatl Vno springs, Weights, counter-balances or knobsl yare used, and alsoto the freedom from linksjor other complications, the connection between the bar and latches being essentially-direct and w.gravity only used in the .operation of 'locling v Willi also. be apparent that when the door is brought into Contact with the trame,

the latch tacer SO'Will, il 'upstanding,'make' contact Withthefforward end l5 of the upper keeper and thus *beV Ycausedfto turn upon its pivot until `fullybentered, thereafterrising automatically into a locked or engaged y position.

' it wiiifbecomeevident @malheurs 4i may be continued in length andthe attachment atr its lower end, .together with "the keeper l'9'may be omitted, the bar, in that clase, enteringa ,suitable o ening in lthe lfoor or frame ofthe door iiect.

ln addition to the foregoing means are provided for maintaining thel upper latch bolt, and hence the lower as Well, in a level position,-ivith reference tothe casing Walls 22, said means consistii'ig or a detent or retainer composed or a square shank 56 adapted to slide in an opening 57 in the front wall 220i' the casing, the shank having a `downwai'i` 58 leading to a head 59.

Said head has a curvedY cam proliley ('30 and a hook element 6l below the bar '56, the space 62 being receptive or a projection 63 formed with or attached to the lever element :3L/the pin normally riding onY the surface 60. Y

Fixed on the square shank 56 is aplate 64 having a central opening brazed to the bar andr provided with a lug`V 66 extending through a slot 6T appropriately formed in one of the side Walls 2B or the casing, the

plate having a perforation 68 in which is secured one end o1 a` pullY string 69,; the other end Aor which xed, a'satj'O, tothe inner surface of the front WallQ?) of the casing. l i

From the the kdeten't is-normally drawn outwardly :by

the',Y spring and that the projection 63 Vis held in the space'GQ, thus holding .the latch in a level, inoperative position.

v Upon vclosing the door, the extending end oi' the shank 56 is brought into forcible con-- extending angular portionV foregoing it will be seenrthatV r tact with the flange 18 of the Ykeeper 14, U

thusvreleasing the latch, which will instantly rise by gravity and engage inthe keeper recess. f Y

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple Vdevice r'or `this purpose has `Abeen disclosed in the preferred form of its embodiment, but it is not desired to restrictV the details to the construction shown, it being ebviousthat changes, not involving the exercise of invention, may be made Without conflicting with the scope oit the appended claims. l,

' Having thus described by invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by `Letters Patent, ist- The combination With adoor andgits frame, of a bar mounted on the door", a hand lever operatively engaging said bar, housings secured on the'door, keepers fixed in the framersthereof,V latches pivoted'injsaid housings, said latchesA being engageable in said keepers, andV direct operative connections between Ysaid bar andsaid latches.

2. The combination with adoor'andfits,

frame, of a verticalbar slidably mounted Y on Vsaid door, means lfor manually` raising said bar, said means being pivoted rontl'ie door, housings secured on the door, vlatch bolts pivoted in said housings, keepers fixed in the frame of the door receptive oft said latch bolts, when turned into engaging position, and direct operative connections between the ends of' said bar and the bodies of said latch bolts whereby the latter are actuated by the bar due to weight thereof.

3. The combination with a door and its frame, of a gravity operating bar slidable vertically on said door, a pivoted lever for raising said bar, a housing, a pivoted latch bolt there-in directly connected with the bar, a keeper receptive of said bolt, and means on said keeper for depressing said bolt when entering said keeper.

l. The combination with a door and its frame, of a vertical bar slidably mounted on said door, means for manually raising said bar, said means being pivoted on the door, housings secured on the door, latch bolts pivoted in said housings, keepers fixed in the frame of the door receptive of said latch bolts, when turned into engaging position, direct operative connections between said bar and said latch bolts, and means for adjustably securing said connections to said bar.

5. The combination with a door and its frame, of a vertical bar slidably mounted on said door, mieans for manually raising said bar, said means being` pivoted on the door, housings secured on the door, latch bolts pivoted in said housings, keepers fixed in the frame of the door receptive of said latch bolts, when turned into engaging position, connections pivoted to said latch bolts, and clamp elements formed with said connections adjustably engaging said bar at points variable with respect to` its. ends.

6. The combination with a door and its frame, of a vertical bar slidably mounted on said door, means for manually raising said bar, said means being pivoted on the door, housings secured on the door, latch bolts pivoted in said housings, keepers xed in the frame of the door receptive of said latch bolts, when turned into engaging position, connections pivotally engaging said latch bolts, clamps formed with said connections adjustably engaging said bar, and means carried by said clamps cooperative with notches in the bar whereby the latter is rigidly held when in adjustment.

7. The combination with a door and its frame, of a gravity operating bar slidable vertically on said door, a pivoted lever for raising said bar, a housing, a pivoted latch bolt therein directly connected with the bar, said bolt being normally held in an extended position, a keeper receptive of said bolt, and means for retaining said bolt in a retracted position until after the door has been fully closed within its frame.

8. The combination with a door and itsframe, of a gravity operating bar slidable vertically on said door, `a pivoted lever for raising said bar, a housing, a pivoted latch bolt therein operatively engaged with the bar, whereby it is normally held in an extended position, a keeper fixed in the frame receptive of said bolt, a flange extending downwardly from said keeper, a lateral projection on said bolt, a detent slidable in said housing, said detent having a part extending outwardly to contact with said flange, a spring operating to extend said detent, and a hook formed with Said detent adapted to engage said projection until the detent projection is forced in by said flange allowing said latch to rise and enter said keeper.

9. The combination with a door and its frame, of a gravity operating bar slidable vertically on said door, a` pivoted lever` for raising said bar, a housing, a pivoted latch bolt therein operatively engaged with the bar, whereby it is normally held in an extended position, a keeper fixed in the frame receptive of said bolt, aV detent slidably located in said housing adapted to retain said bolt in a retracted position, means normally retaining said detent in operative position, and means comlbined with said keeper for releasing said detent permitting the bolt to be received in the keeper, said means 'becoming operable upon the full closing of the door.

This specification signed yand witnessed .this 29th day of September, 1922.

CHARLES G. PALMER.

Witnesses: j

FREDK. C. FISCHER, F. NoLL. f i 

